


That Time of the Month

by Eclarelover96



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Established Niall Horan/Harry Styles, F/M, Female Niall Horan, Fluff, Genderswap, Liam and Louis appear for 0.1 seconds, Niall Horan/Harry Styles-centric, emotional Niall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:13:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27152293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eclarelover96/pseuds/Eclarelover96
Summary: It’s that time of the month again. Dread fills Niall from head to toe as she’s rummaging through all her usual spots. There’s no way she’s out of everything. “Shit, shit.” She mutters under her breath as she checks the last place she can think of and collapses back onto her bed with resign.The next best thing she could think to do was text her friends. Everyone was either busy or simply hadn’t responded. There was one last resort. But no. That would be too embarrassing. It’s times like these she regrets rooming with two guys.Niall gets up from her bed to briefly pace the room before making her final decision. She of course needs a minute to pep talk herself into being able to go through with this. Her phone is slightly shaking in her hands as she gathers up the courage to punch in the number to hit call, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, and placing it between her ear and shoulder. It rings a few times before someone on the other line answers with a breathy, “Hello.”orNiall's just gotten her period and she's run out of all her supplies. So she calls her last resort for help, Harry.
Relationships: Niall Horan/Harry Styles
Comments: 7
Kudos: 30





	That Time of the Month

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this in about an hour since I was still feeling inspired from this morning. I've never written genderswap before sooo we'll see how this goes haha. Any and all mistakes are my own, enjoy!

It’s that time of the month again. Dread fills Niall from head to toe as she’s rummaging through all her usual spots. There’s no way she’s out of everything. “Shit, shit.” She mutters under her breath as she checks the last place she can think of and collapses back onto her bed with resign.

How could she possibly be out of pads, tampons, and Pamprin? The thought to buy more hadn’t struck her because she wasn’t expecting her period for another couple days and she thought she had more time to go out and restock. Apparently not. The pain in her stomach threw her for a loop since she wasn’t feeling sick. But the pain intensified as the morning progressed and she knew she couldn’t mistake a stomachache for cramps. Period cramps.

What was she going to do now? She’s home alone. Her roommates are out at either work or in class and her car is in the shop at the moment. The nearest store is a good 45 minute walk which usually she doesn’t have a problem braving but she knows she doesn’t have the energy for that.

On her way to grab breakfast in the kitchen she’d doubled over in pain and felt that familiar trickle in between her legs and just knew. She was down to her last pad and knew it wouldn’t last her long if her flow continued on this way. So her options were limited. She could always call an Uber or Lyft to drive her to the store. If only she wasn’t too broke for that.

The next best thing she could think to do was text her friends and see if anyone could drop her off a few pads to hold her over until one of her roommates came home. Everyone was either busy or simply hadn’t responded. Her patience was running thin, just like her options. There was one last resort. But no. That would be too embarrassing.

She could always knock on one of her neighbors doors and ask. As the scenarios played out in her head she decided she’d rather spare herself the humiliation and use wads of toilet paper if it came down to that. That was always messy and yet the only reliable back up plan she had. It’s times like these she regrets rooming with two guys.

Niall gets up from her bed to briefly pace the room before making her final decision. She of course needs a minute to pep talk herself into being able to go through with this. Her phone is slightly shaking in her hands as she gathers up the courage to punch in the number to hit call, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, and placing it between her ear and shoulder. It rings a few times before someone on the other line answers with a breathy, “Hello.”

“Hey,” She says rather quietly and finds herself stumped on what to say next. “What’s going on?” Niall contemplates how she’s going to put this into words without dying of utter embarrassment. Although she’d worked up the courage to call she hadn’t thought far beyond that point. “Ummm. Are you busy right now?”

“Not really, just going for my morning run. Did you need something?”

“Oh, I was just going to ask you for a favor. But if you’re- I- actually, never mind, this was stupid.”

“No, you can tell me whatever it is.”

“Never mind, I changed my mind.”

“Niall-” and before she can really fathom what she’s done she’s banging her head against the wall. What on earth had possessed her to call Harry, and then _hang up on him_?

Seconds later he was calling her back and she couldn’t help letting out a groan of frustration. She knew that if she answered it would be awkward, but if she ignored his call she knew all too well that he’d become worried and change the route of his run in the direction of her apartment and come see her to make sure everything’s okay. This is what she gets for dating a decent guy.

She braves herself for the awkwardness and hits accept against her better judgment. Harry skips the pleasantries this time and goes right for it. “Why the hell did you hang up? I almost ran into a pole because I wasn’t paying attention.”

“Sorry.”

“Niall, will you please tell me what’s going on you’re really starting to freak me out. You said you had a favor to ask of me. Does that have something to do with why you hung up on me?”

“Kind of?”

“Well?”

She wasn’t trying to make Harry mad and she could tell that he was trying his hardest to stay calm because she wasn’t cooperating or giving him much to work with. Bless him. Niall sighs into the phone loud enough for it to echo in the background.

“Okay, fine. This is really embarrassing. God I wish I didn’t have to ask. _Believe me_. But somehow I’ve run out of pads and tampons. I just got my period. Liam and Lou are out right now and no one’s answering my texts. So. I was wondering if you could stop by the store and buy me some stuff I need.”

“Is that all?”

“What do you mean _‘is that all’_?”

“I mean is that why you were freaking out? Because you wanted to ask me to go buy you some pads or tampons?”

“Yeahhh,”

“Well it’s no problem. I’ll head to the nearest corner store and I should be there within an hour.”

“Okay, thanks.” Niall looked down at her phone in shock as she processed what just happened. Had a guy just willing agreed to go buy her pads or tampons? And how would he know which brand to buy? Sure, her roommates had offered to take her and go to the store with her when she needed to buy those things, but never _ever_ had they agreed or offered to go by themselves.

This was new. Of course Harry was different from most guys. She knew this from the moment they met. But this was beyond even her wildest expectations. Past boyfriends and flings had laughed at her at even the mere _suggestion_ of going down the feminine products aisle of any convenient store. Because somehow it made them less manly. Yet here Harry was. Defying those odds, again.

They’d only been dating for a year. Friends for years before that. He never ceased to amaze her which is why she was confused that he was always single and couldn’t be happier to learn that it was because he was interested in a certain Irish blonde.

*****

As promised her front door is opening within an hour of her phone call with Harry. He puts his keys in the dish bowl and sets the bags down in the entry way. He goes straight for Niall, enveloping her cheeks in the palms of his hands and stroking them momentarily before breaking their eye contact and leaning in to press a sweet but short kiss to her lips.

“Please don’t scare me like that again Niall. I thought something was actually wrong. I don’t mind going to buy anything for you, ever. Don’t be embarrassed to ask either, babe.”

Ughhh was he even real? This was every girl’s dream and more. “I’m sorry. I’ve just never had anyone agree before. I always either get laughed at or just become super embarrassed. It’s humiliating.”

“Well I promise I won’t ever do that to you, doll.” Niall looks down at the tiled floor as she feels a blush creeping onto her cheeks and can’t help the watery laugh that escapes her mouth.

“What’s wrong? Is it something I said?”

“No. You did everything right. _Perfectly_ even. I’ve just never had someone who cared this much. Like are you even real?”

Niall couldn’t help her sudden rush of emotions. She just felt overwhelmed in the best way possible. It’s the hormones. She could always blame those, especially at a time like this. Such a simple act of kindness had her reacting this way. She shook out her shoulders and counted to three, making sure to take a few deep breaths in and out.

Harry waited patiently while she composed herself and allowed her another minute of space before going in for a hug that had her reeling her arms around his neck, inhaling his comforting scent. “Thank you.” She found herself saying without any real reason and held onto him just a bit tighter. He didn’t respond with words, and instead stroked her back in affirmation.

“Let’s see what I brought, shall we?” For a moment Niall forgot why she was even having a miniature breakdown. “Yeah,” she agreed and stood back from Harry to help him carry the few bags onto the kitchen counter. “So I didn’t want to get you the wrong things, but I did the best I could on short notice.” He ducked his head down and rubbed the back of his neck in a sudden burst of shyness.

Niall brings one of the bags towards her and tears through it. There’s candy and chocolate and a few other snacks. All her favorites. She looks up at Harry questioningly and he shrugs, giving her a sheepish smile. The next bag has something resolutely cold in it and she draws her hand back in surprise, which causes Harry to giggle at her and to reach into it himself and pull out a pint size Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Milk and cookies, her latest flavor obsession.

“What is all this?” She asks through a smile as she rifles through the last bag that finally holds the products she needs in addition to Pamprin and other painkillers she uses sometimes, depending on her levels of pain or discomfort. “Well, I just thought since you didn’t have anything I’d help you stock up and get a few of your favorite goodies.”

“But how did you know to get the right brand of pads _and_ tampons?”

“I’d like to think I pay attention to small details like that about my loved ones, especially you. Plus, I used to go to the store on my bike as a kid and teen all the time to buy my mum and Gemma this stuff. It’s like ingrained in my brain at this point.”

They both laugh when Niall absolutely loses it this time, no control over her emotions whatsoever, and stars full on crying at the gesture. “You’re so lovely, Harry. Has anyone ever told you that before?”

“Maybe once or twice.” His signature smirk finally makes an appearance as Niall leans up on the tips of her toes and loops her arms around his neck, peppering his face with kisses. “Well you are. And I’m so glad I get to call you mine.”

“All yours.” Harry echoes back and plants his lips firmly onto hers, wrapping his arms around her slim waist and lifting her up onto the counter, without breaking their kiss. Niall squeals when the pint of ice cream comes in contact with her skin and jumps into Harry’s arms, sending them both tumbling onto the floor.

At this point her tears have ceased and been wiped away by the pads of Harry’s fingers; instead to be replaced with bellyaching laughs as they both try to regain their footing, but continue to remain a mess of limbs on Niall’s kitchen floor. She settles herself against his chest and finds that he’s basically like a giant teddy bear, always bending this or that way to bring her comfort and joy.

“I love you.”

“I love you more.”

“Not possible.”

“It so is.”

“We’ll just have to see about that.” Niall is the first to make a move as she launches herself at the counter and grabs the first bag she sees. M&M’s. Perfect. These will do. She rushes to open the bag and creates as much space between her and Harry as she can. She scoops a small handful from the bag into her hand and aims them at her boyfriend. He shrieks in protest and hides behind the other side of the counter.

His hand briefly makes contact with the counter as he blindly searches for his own source of defense. He takes the first thing he can reach and prepares for another ambush, awaiting Niall’s next move. Her own eyes peer over the edge of the counter when there are no signs of Harry making a comeback at her. She tuts at his tactics and decides she’ll be stealthy and move towards his side of the counter, effectively landing another surprise attack, if she’s quiet enough.

Harry holds his hand to his chest, which is admittedly beating fast and tries to still his breathing so he doesn’t give himself away. He’s counting down from ten and plans on striking back when he hits one. This seems like a solid move but is intercepted by Niall herself when he’s only managed to reach five.

“Hey, that’s not fair!” He yells as Niall pelts him with a steady stream of M&M’s, only giving Harry enough time to drop his bag of candy and shield his face with his hands over his head. “All is fair in love and war, baby.”

“You will regret to live those words, Niall Horan.”

“Only if you make me, Harry Styles.”

“Bring it on.”

Niall makes a mad dash for the door but is outrun by Harry’s giraffe legs and screams when Harry tackles her from behind. They wrestle back and forth, Harry letting Niall win in the end (obviously), and is rewarded with a kiss from her. The pair is too enwrapped in their antics and endless giggles to have noticed the front door opening and closing.

Liam and Louis have unknowingly entered a war zone, after seeing candy scattered across the floor and tread carefully and quietly to the other room so they don’t disturb their friends. They see there’s ice cream melting on the counter which will make for a sticky mess and clean up later on, but they’re too caught up in the cuteness that is Niall and Harry. They piece together what’s happening when they see the pads and tampons and decide they’ll give their friends shit later for the mess they made and just for being this adorable, it should be illegal, really. All the distress from this morning is forgotten by Niall as she’s pinned down to the ground by Harry, who reaches down to kiss her (or so she thinks), but instead grabs a handful of candy and throws it at Niall who erupts in a series of giggles in an attempt at saving herself. Maybe getting her period isn’t so bad after all.


End file.
